Dial lock



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DIAL LOCK Filed March 20. 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W (m if '27 YOSHITERU SATO.

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United States Patent Int. 01. Eb 63/06, 39/02, 39/04 U.S. Cl. 70133 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dial lock suitable for the door of a rental locker or the like. The lock has a bolt shiftably mounted on the frame body and a number of revolving pieces which are rotatable around the bolt and axially movable with the bolt. A hooking piece is provided which engages with a notch in a part of each revolving piece when the revolving piece is moved along with the bolt to the unlocking position. A dial is provided which is rotatably mounted at a fixed position on the frame with which the revolving pieces are engaged when the revolving pieces are moved with the bolt to the locking position. Means for preventing mutual rotation of the dials and revolving pieces when the revolving pieces are engaged with the dials is also provided.

This invention relates to a dial lock suitable for the door of a rental locker or the like of which the users change frequently.

In case of a lock of a rental locker or the like of which the users change one after another, if the lock can be opened with a particular key as is the case with the known lockers, there is a great risk of the locker being unrightfully opened with a false key made according to the original key. Likewise, if a rental locker is equipped with a known dial lock which can be opened by turning the dial according to a certain fixed combination of signs, there is also a risk of the lock being wrongfully opened by a person who remembers the said combination. Therefore, the known dial locks cannot be used for rental lockers. Of course, a dial lock of which the combination of signs can be changed has been available on the market. It is necessary, however, to disassemble the lock to alter the combination of signs each time, so such a lock cannot be used for a rental locker or the like of which the users change frequently.

The aim of the invention consists in providing a dial lock of which the combination of signs for unlocking can be changed with ease. The dial lock of the invention, as its combination of signs can be easily changed as the users change, is most suitable as a lock to be fixed to a rental lock of which the users change frequently. The fact that the combination of signs can be altered-with ease makes this lock quite useful for the prevention of robbery.

Various advantages of the invention will be made quite clear by the description of the embodiments of the invention illustrated by the accompanying drawings, of which FIG. 1 is a front view designating a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plane view showing a horizontal section of the foregoing.

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FIG. 3 is a lateral view illustrating a longitudinal section of the foregoing.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a plane view of the foregoing.

FIG. 6 is a plane view showing a horizontal section of the foregoing.

FIG. 7 is a transverse lateral view along the line A-A of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a transverse lateral view along the line BB of FIG. 4.

As shown by the figures, the dial lock of the invention consists of a bolt which is fixed to the frame body freely movably forward and backward, a required number of revolving pieces which are fixed to the bolt freely revolvably against the bolt as Well as freely movably together with the bolt in the direction of the axis, a corresponding number of hooking pieces which, when the revolving pieces together with the bolt move to the unlocking position, engage with the hooking notches provided in a part of the respective revolving pieces, a corresponding number of annular dials which are internally equipped with a plurality of hooking teeth which, when the revolving pieces along with the bolt move to the locking position, engage with a plurality of hooking teeth formed on the outside of the respective revolving pieces and which are externally equipped with a plurality of signs.

In the dial lock of the invention illustrated by FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the bolt'is fastened to the frame body 1 freely movably sideways, the frame body 1 being fixed to the door.

The door 3 is openably fixed to one side of the opening of the locker by means of hinges, and when the bolt 2 engages with the hooking hole 5 provided on the wall 4 of the hingeless side of the locker, the door 3 is locked and the opening of the locker is closed, the door 3 being openable in the arrow-indicated direction when the bolt 2 slips off the hooking hole 5.

The bolt 2 is formed at one end of the shifting lever which is in the shape of a round bar which slidably passes through the holes provided on each pair of supporting plates 6 mounted inside the frame body 1.

A front plate 8 is fixed to the front of the frame body 1, a projecting rod 10 which protrudes from a part adjacent the bolt 2 of the aforementioned shifting lever 7 V being loosely fitted into a longitudinally oblong hole 9 formed in a part of the said front plate 8 and protruding to the outside of the front plate 8, a knob 11 being fixed to the tip of the protruding rod 10.

The part of the shifting lever 7 between the supporting plates 6 is externally fitted with a plurality of revolving pieces 12 freely revolvable, the said revolving pieces not moving axially though revolvable on the shifting lever 7, because the said revolving pieces are prevented from moving axially by means of washers 13 mounted on the shifting lever 7 on both sides of the revolving pieces 12 respectively.

A large number of booking teeth .14 are formed at certain intervals in the shape of a cogwheel on the external periphery of each revolving piece 12. An annular dial 16, on the internal periphery of which are formed in the shape of an internal cogwheel hooking teeth 15 freely engageable with and disengageable from the hooking teeth 14, is externally fitted to each revolving piece 12.

A protruding peripheral groove 17 is formed on the external periphery of the dial 16. A part of the said protruding peripheral groove 17 is fitted into the oblong window 18 and is visible therethrough, thereby preventing the dial 16 from moving axially.

On the right of each revolving piece 12 a hooking piece 20 is equipped to engage with a hooking notch 19 formed in a part of the revolving piece 12 when the said revolving piece 12 moves together with the shifting lever 7 in the unlocking position, i.e. in the right-hand direction, the said hooking piece 20 being integrated with the frame body 1.

The foregoing hooking teeth do not extend over the whole width of the external periphery of the revolving piece 12 but are formed only along the part adjacent the hooking piece 20, as a result of which, when the revolving piece 12 moves toward the hooking piece 20 and the hooking notch 19 of the revolving piece 12 catches the hooking piece 20, the dial 16 is in the part where there are no hooking teeth 14 and therefore can revolve freely. t

On one side of the longitudinally oblong window 18 of the front plate 8 indicating lines 21 are provided, on the outside of the protruding peripheral groove 17 of the dial 16 arbitrary signs, such as numerals, letters and the like, which are of the same number as or integral fractions of the hooking teeth .15 being indicated at regular intervals, the hooking teeth 14 of the revolving piece 12 of which the notch 19 is engaged with the hooking piece 20 being arranged to precisely engage with the hooking teeth 15 of the dial 16 when the said signs correspond with the indicating lines 21. On the flank of each revolving piece 12 on the side of the booking piece 20 irregular grooves are radially formed for camouflage.

It is not necessarily required that the hooking teeth 14 and the hooking teeth 15 are of the identical number, but sometimes the hooking teeth 14 may be certain integral fractions of the hooking teeth 15 or sometimes the hooking teeth 15 may be certain integral fractions of the hooking teeth 14.

In case of the dial lock shown by the foregoing embodiment, when the hooking notch 19 of each revolving piece 12 is so located as to fit with the hooking piece 20, if the shifting lever 7 is moved by means of the knob 11 from the position of FIG. 2 to the right in the unlocking direction, the bolt 2 as well as each revolving piece 12 moves along with the shifting lever 7 to the position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 2, the bolt 2 being removed from hooking hole and rendering the door 3 openable in the unlocked state.

In the foregoing unlocked state, the hooking teeth 14 of each revolving piece 12, as is clear from the dotted line in FIG. 2, are perfectly separated from the hooking teeth 15 inside each dial 16, with the result that the dial 16 can be freely revolved regardless of the revolving pieces 12.

In this state, therefore, when the bolt 2 is fitted into the hooking hole 5 by moving the knob 11 to the left, after setting any arbitrary signs on each protruding peripheral groove 17 to the respective indicating lines and memorizing or taking a note of the combination of the said signs, the booking teeth 14 of each revolving piece 12 which moves together with the shifting lever 7 engage with the hooking teeth 15 of the dial 16, the notch 19 of each revolving piece 12 coming off the hooking piece 20.

In the foregoing state, if the signs, corresponding with the indicating lines 21 are made different from the signs already memorized or taken a note of by revolving the dial 16 appropriately, the shifting lever 7 cannot be moved to the unlocking position even when the bolt 2 is forced toward the unlocking position by means of the knob 11, because the notch 19 of each revolving piece 12 does not correspond with the hooking piece at the side thereof, the revolving piece 12 hitting the hooking piece 20.

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In other words, unlocking is impossible unless the dial 16 is restored to the original state of locking. Therefore, unlocking can be effected only by the person who memorizes the signs at the time of locking. Since the signs necessary for unlocking are changed by revolving the dials 16 at each locking, this lock is best fit for the rental locker of which the users change frequently.

In the second embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIGS. 4 to 8, it is so arranged that the signs necessary for unlocking can be printed on any arbitrary card.

In FIGS. 4 to 8, the numeral 22 designates a shifting lever which is equipped with a bolt 23 at the tip thereof, the said shifting lever slidably passing through the penetrating holes provided on a plurality of supporting plates 25 of the frame body 24.

The frame body is firmly fixed to the door 27. The said door 27 is openably attached to one side of the opening of the locker by means of hinges, a hooking hole 29 with which the bolt 23 is hooked being formed on the wall 28 of the hingeless side of the locker. When the bolt 23 is fastened to the hooking hole 29 the door 27 closes the opening of the locker, while the door 27 can be opened in the arrow-indicated direction of FIG. 5 when the bolt 23 is removed from the hooking hole 29. The front plate 26 of the frame body 24 is fixedly attached to the front of the door 27.

Into the laterally oblong hole 30 formed on a part of the front plate 26 is loosely fitted the protruding rod 31 which is mounted where the shifting lever 22 and the bolt 23 are jointed together. The front end of rod 31 protrudes to the outside of the front plate 26, a knob being fixedly attached to the end of the protruding rod 31.

A plurality of revolving pieces 33 are externally fitted to the shifting lever 22 between the supporting plates 25, 25, the said revolving pieces 33 being prevented from axially moving by means of the axially immovable washers 34 which are so attached to the shifting lever 22 as to be located on both sides of the respective revolving pieces 33.

On the right side of the external periphery of each revolving piece 33 a large number of hooking teeth 35 are formed in the shape of a cogwheel at fixed intervals. An annular dial 37, on the internal periphery of which are formed in the shape of an internal cogwheel hooking teeth 36 to engage with the said hooking teeth 35, is fitted to the outside of each revolving piece 33.

On both sides of each dial 37 a pair of supporting pieces 38 provided on each dial slidably touch the inside of the front part of the frame body 24, thereby preventing axial movement of the dials.

On the right side of each revolving piece 33 is provided a hooking piece 39 which is integrated with the frame body 24 as per FIG. 7, each revolving piece 33 being provided with a booking notch 40 to engage with the said hooking piece 39.

Also, on the right side of each revolving piece 33 irregular grooves are provided for camouflage.

A printing wheel 41 is integrally formed on the right side of the external periphery of each dial 37, an ink pad 43 with which to apply ink to each printing wheel being revolvably fixed to the horizontal rod 42 spanned between the rear parts of both supporting plates of the frame body 24.

On the left of the external periphery of the dial 37, it is so arranged that arbitrary signs, such as numerals, letters and the like, which are identical with or integral fractions of the number of the hooking teeth 36, are indicated at regular intervals, a window 44 which makes each one of the said signs visible from the outside being formed on the front plate 26.

On the external periphery of each dial 37 is formed a toothed wheel 45, which is made to engage wtih each toothed wheel 47 fixed revolvably to the horizontal rod 46 spanned between the front lower parts of both supporting plates 25, a part of the external periphery of each toothed Wheel 47 being made to protrude through a longitudinally oblong hole 48 which is provided on the front plate 26, so that the toothed wheel 47 may be revolved with the tip of a finger from the outside.

On the horizontal rod 49 which is revolvably spanned between both supporting plates 25 so as to constitute the rear upper part of the frame body 24 is mounted the rear part of a card receiver 50 in the shape of a flat box which has an opening 51 in front so that the said card receiver 50 may move together with the horizontal rod 49, the front part of the card receiver 50' being made to fit loosely in the horizontally oblong hole 52 formed in the front plate 26, thereby making the opening 51 of the card receiver 5 protrude in front of the front plate.

The card receiver 50 has a width to cover the upper part of each printing wheel 41, a window 53 being provided at the part facing the external periphery of each printing wheel 41, thereby bringing the lower surface of the card inserted in the card receiver 50 face to face with each printing wheel 41 through the window 53.

A forward-looking arm 54 is fixedly attached to the left end of the horizontal rod 49. A cylinder 55 which is so attached to the shifting lever 22 as is located at the lower part of the said arm 54 is provided with peripheral grooves 56, a spring being fitted between the end of the foregoing arm 54 and a protruding piece 57 erected at the internal lower part of the front plate 26 so as to keep the arm 54 being constantly pressed against the external periphery of the cylinder 55.

In the dial lock shown in the foregoing embodiment, when the toothed wheel 47 protruding through the longitudinally oblong hole 48 of the front plate is revolved by the tip of a finger, the dial which is engaged with the said wheel 45 is revolved together, changing the signs on the external periphery of the dial which is visible through the window 44.

As shown by FIG. 5, when the bolt 23 is caught in the hooking hole 29, each revolving piece 33 is free from the hooking piece 39, the hooking teeth 35 of the revolving piece 33 being engaged with the hooking teeth 36 of the dial 37, the revolving piece 33 being revolved when the dial 37 is revolved. If the knob 32 is moved to the right when the hooking notch 40 of each revolving piece 33 corresponds with the hooking piece 39', the shifting lever 22 moves to the right, the bolt 23 which is integral with the said shifting lever 22 slipping out of the hooking hole 29, thereby opening the lock. The notch 40 of each revolving piece 33 engages with the booking piece 39, the hooking teeth 35 being disengaged from the booking teeth 36, thereby rendering the dial 37 free regardless of the revolving piece 33 just as in the case of the first embodiment.

In the foregoing state, if a certain arbitrary sign is made to appear in each window 44 by appropriately revolving each dial 37 and then the bolt is fitted into the hooking hole 29 by moving the knob 32 to the left, and if the signs appearing in the windows 44 are changed by revolving the dials 37 after the combination of the said signs is memorized, the dial lock can never be opened just as in the case of the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment however, it is unnecessary to memorize or take a note of the signs, for the said signs are automatically printed on a card inserted into the card receiver 50.

In other words, the card receiver 50, the rod 49 and the arm 54 are integrated and when the arm 54 is placed on the external periphery of the cylinder 55, the card receiver 50 is lifted as per FIG. 8, and even when a card is inserted into the card receiver 50 the lower surface of the card which faces the window 53 does not touch the printing wheel 41.

The foregoing state corresponds to a condition where as per FIGS. and 6 the bolt 23 is in the locking position with the arm placed on the right of the cylinder, or the 6 bolt 23 is in the unlocking position with the arm 54 placed on the left of the cylinder 55.

While the bolt 23 is on the way from the unlocking position to the position of being caught in the hooking hole 29, moving to the left, the peripheral groove 56 of the arm 55 passes the lower part of the arm 54, with the result that the arm 54 drops into the peripheral groove 56, being pulled down by the spring 58. When the arm 54 drops into the peripheral groove 56, the said arm 54 goes down as indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 8, the card receiver 50 going down simultaneously. If a card is inserted therein, the signs of the printing Wheel 41 are printed on the lower surface of the card which is exposed through the window 53.

Therefore, if the signs on the external periphery of the dial 37 and the signs on the external periphery of the printing wheel 41 are formed with an appropriate angular difference between them so that the same signs appearing in the window 44 may be printed on the card exposed through the window 53, the signs necessary for unlocking are automatically printed on the card inserted in the card receiver 50 as soon as the bolt 23 is caught in the hooking hole 29 at the time of locking. Consequently, if the card is pulled out and the dials 37 are appropriately revolved after locking, there is no risk of the lock being opened by any other person, and the lock can be opened with ease by setting the dials according to the signs printed on the card.

In the structure illustrated by the figure, the arm 54 drops into the peripheral groove 56 also when the bolt 23 is drawn out of the hooking hole 29 and returned to the unlocking position, but this involves no inconvenience at all because the card receiver 50 contains no card. If the foregoing card receiver 50 is made in a size just suitable to receive the ordinary calling card used by everybody and the printing wheels 41 are arranged with intervals also suitable to such calling card, there is no necessity of preparing any special cards with great convenience to all the parties concerned. Besides, the arm 54 and the cylinder 55 of the second embodiment may be replaced by a card receiver equipped with an appropriate spring, the card receiver 50 being constantly pushed up away from the printnig Wheel 41, the card receiver 50 being pressed down by hand, whenever necessary, so as to press the lower surface of the card inside the receiver 50 against the printing wheel 41 through the window 53.

It is needless to mention that the structure of the em bodiments of the dial lock of the invention so far described with the relative figures can be altered or modified in many ways, and that the invention is by no means confined to the embodiments designated above. Moreover, the characteristics of both the embodiments illustrated by the figures are interchangeable so far as there is no contradiction between the two.

I claim:

1. A dial lock comprising a frame body adapted to be attached to a door to be locked to a structure; a bolt means slidable within said frame body for insertion into said structure; a plurality of revolving pieces attached to said bolt to revolve therearound, said revolving pieces being axially fixed to said bolt to slide therewith; a plurality of dials revolvably fitted around said revolving pieces, said dials being fixed relative to said frame body in the direction of sliding movement of said bolt, said dials having means for engaging and rotating with said revolving pieces when said bolt is inserted in said structure and for disengaging and rotating independently from said revolving pieces when said bolt is withdrawn from said structure; a plurality of hooking pieces fixed on said frame body; each of said revolving pieces having hooking notches for mating with said hooking pieces when said bolt is withdrawn from said structure; a plurality of printing wheels mounted around the external peripheries of said dials to rotate therewith; means for supplying printing ink to said printing wheels; means for positioning 7 8 a card above said printing wheels; and means for mov- 3,405,544 10/1968 Gehrie 70-288 X ing said card into contact with said printing wheels to 3 410 121 1 1 3 Morin 7 2 g X g igj 22 522 3 15 gf gg circlmferemial Positims 2,008,565 7/1935 Segal 70-412 X 3,439,515 4/1969 Gehrie 70-317 X 2. A dial lock according to claim 1, wherein said means for moving said card into contact with said printing Wheels is automatically actuated when said bolt is moved from MARVIN CHAMP ION, Prlmary Examlmr the unlocked to the locked position. B I M Cc ARTHY Assistant Examiner References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS US. Cl. X.R.

1,051,800 1/1913 Bil 70l33 7 4 

